Chew #33
After the climax in issue 30 of “Chew”, it’s becoming exceedingly clear that John Layman is building towards his end game. Like much of the series issue 33 stands on its own fine, with lots of goofy, new, “chew-tastic” details bouncing around the page. The fabulous Navy sailors and their seal sidekicks fit in perfectly alongside all of the other equally ridiculous government organizations. There’s also a two-page Poyo spread and that is never a bad thing.
The real meat of the issue lies with a significant change in Tony becoming apparent. He’s much more aggressive, going from a driven professional to a man obsessed. Without losing the short, goofy style that defines “Chew”, Layman has advanced the story and his protagonist to a new place. It’s reminiscent of “Preacher” after the “War in the Sun” arc and that’s saying a lot considering how different the tone of the two series is.
Status: Hooked
Fables #128
Recently “Fables” has had a tendency to wax and wane during story arcs, “Snow White” is no exception. For the first few issues, the story wandered building tension as the pieces were put into play. The elements of Bigby’s travels, Snow White’s engagement, and magical entanglements were each laid out to create the tension of this issue. The story is not yet over, but the payoff of Willingham’s expository issues is finally here. All of the elements come together in a way that leaves plenty of outcomes, with none of them certain. Willingham’s penchant for killing off fan favorites on occasion helps to ensure that each turned page is exciting during the climactic fight. The story isn’t over yet, but it’s already an exciting conclusion.
The series as a whole is hitting some road bumps, sometimes providing too much exposition and not enough drama. However, issues like this show that the characters and their universe are still well developed and can create genuine suspense and create excellent cliffhangers. After 128 issues, that’s an accomplishment to be proud of.
Status: Hooked
Superior Spider-Man #8
“Superior Spider-Man” is really good at embracing what it is, a superhero book. It’s not a caper-book like “Hawkeye” or an space-time epic like “Thor: God of Thunder”, it’s pure superhero in genre and it’s fabulous. Where else could you get dramatic showdowns with the Avengers and one of the most underused B-listers, alongside some truly endearing moments. Watching Spock perform brain surgery in both his costume and scrubs could have been easily ridiculous and perhaps it is, but it’s also really enjoyable to read. Not to mention the followup that embraces the saccharine nature of the moment, but still makes you smile. It proves there’s nothing wrong with superhero antics, they just require a writer that understands them and Dan Slott certainly does. Now just stare at that picture and try not to smile.
Status: Hooked
Thief of Thieves #13
“Thief of Thieves” feels in many ways like it is being written for television. The first half of this issue centers around an escape after the dramatic cliffhanger of issue 12. However, its success is never truly in doubt. Much of the excitement and thrill of an escape is lost in the pre-determined outcome. The scene feels like it is written for a camera where the movement and looks over the shoulder could capture the momentum necessary to overcome narrative fate. It reminded me of an episode of “Supernatural” in which the boys escape police detection when surrounded in a bank. The episode will certainly end with a successful escape, but the music and rushed cutting of scenes helps to instill excitement in spite of that. The first half of this book would have been great on camera or with a better sense of page layouts and juxtaposition of different shots, but it isn’t.
The introduction of Lola though… That may make things interesting again. Kirkman doesn’t always introduce villains, but when he does, they are evil as f##k.
Status: On the Bubble
Wonder Woman #19
If you’re looking for a book focusing around Wonder Woman, then this book is not what you’re looking for. That’s too bad, because the expansive cast and collection of stories makes it a lot better than most superhero stories focused around a single character. In many ways it echoes the structure of Azzarello’s crime epic “100 Bullets”. There’s a large cast of characters, none of whom are safe, a constantly changing power structure, and just enough story threads that any one could become the focus of the next arc. It’s also an excellent fit for the character of Wonder Woman who has had a consistently weak rogues gallery and supporting cast. Without diving into the specifics of the book, things continue to change as groups split and shaky alliances form. In another writer’s hands it could become boring politics, but in Azzarello’s its thrilling.
It’s also notable how consistent the art on the book is, despite consistent shake ups between issues. Cliff Chiang established a unique style that embraces the iconic nature of the diverse Greek pantheon, that has been gracefully mimicked by fill in artists like Tony Akins and Dan Green. Every artist that works on this book deserves praise for maintaining a consistent look and tone each month.
Status: Hooked
Magnett Academy 